Heading for Inclusive School in Europe
Looking back in recent history, one can note that disability caring legislation made a breakthrough after World War II. From now on, people with disabilities are recognized as equal with other members of society. Society, on the other hand, has a duty to adapt itself to remove all obstacles to the exercise of these rights. How can this evolution be explained?
SECTION OF THE MODULE/R or E
Changing perspective on disability through the cinema
1. Organize a debate on the theme:
If you had to legislate on disability, what would be the objectives you would aim for, in order to serve the general interest at best?
Group work of 3-4 people (15-20 minutes). On a flip chart, each group presents its objectives to the other groups. Trainer summarizes the discussion Travail en groupe de 3-4 personnes (15-20 minutes).
Work without cards (participants present their state of mind and knowledge).
Duration: 60 minutes
2. Second part of the debate:
In your opinion, could humanistic philosophy have had an influence on handicap-caring policies ?
Individual work with a support network (The influence of the humanist current and of « new education ») - reading; 15 minutes - discussion.
Trainer summarizes the discussion.
Duration: 30 minutes
3. Are there other factors that may explain the changing attitudes on disability?
Free discussion, the trainer collects participants’ statements.
Duration: approximately: 15-20 minutes
4. Controversial question to be introduced during the debate:
addressing the problem from the economic and pedagogical efficiency point of view, would it not be more profitable for society to isolate handicapped people so as not to impede other students’ learning and thus facilitate teachers’ work?
Participants are split into 2 groups..
Group 1 presents the challenges on a flip chart;
Group 2 presents arguments for inclusive education.
Duration: 50 minutes.
20 minutes (group discussion), 20 minutes (presentation of two points of view) + 10 minutes summary.
1/ A disability law, for a member country of the European Community, must take into account the values of the EU, and be inspired by the UN Convention ratified by the EU in 2010. Its objectives must therefore be:
It must meet two requirements:
2/ Humanism is a movement of thought that places man at the center of all concern, leaving aside any other dogmatic or divine consideration. This philosophy, which appeared at Italian Renaissance, had a new vigor in the aftermath of World War II. It advocates an optimistic view of man which it claims is capable of learning and improving throughout life.
For humanists, pedagogy is of considerable importance, since it empowers children to move away from irrational dogmas and to flourish unhindered.
Many great educators were inspired by the humanistic philosophy to offer a conception of school based on:
Humanist pedagogues of the Renaissance summarized this conception of pedagogy quite well by an evocative shortcut: "the child is not a vase to be filled but a fire to be lit."
These great pedagogues, often scholars, constituted over the centuries a true aristocracy of intelligence which opposed the teaching methods of ordinary school, too standardized and mechanical, and weighed on political choices.
The “new school” movement had a decisive influence by affirming the notion of children’s educability. It largely inspired handicap-caring policies.
3/ Other factors may explain the evolution of disability legislation .
In the aftermath of World War II, in order to cure the trauma of war, it became necessary to organize social solidarities in countries under reconstruction.
Without following humanistic philosophy, simple ethical considerations, and in particular the conditions of "living together", acceptance of differences, the refusal of discriminations based on sex, race or handicap, are sufficiently strong by reaction to Nazi ideology to inspire disability legislation.
The prosaically economic aspect is not to be neglected since, in seeking to facilitate the social integration of persons with disabilities whenever possible, the community avoids providing for them throughout their lives. This choice, initially expensive, can be very economical in the long term.
4/ The question is worth asking because it can’t be denied that this point of view is shared by many teachers, including education executives.
Still by siding with the legislator, which must first of all be concerned with public interest and answer the political choices of the moment, arguments to discredit the supporters of this solution of "facilitation" are numerous. For example :
